It's Chantix in the US and Champix in Europe, according to Wikipedia. I don't know much about it, so can't help there. But (as you probably know by now) the drug won't make you quit anyway. YOU have to make you quit in the end
Have you heard there's nothing worse than an ex-smoker? Yep. If you're allergic to unsolicited tirades by ex-smokers, exit here, lol... (but I thought I'd put my experience out there just in case it helps in some way!)
I smoked like a chimney from the time I was 14 years old until I was 28. I tried nicotine gum, going it on my own, Zyban (an antidepressant drug that's supposed to help stop the cravings)... nothing worked. But then... I succesfully did it in 2000, 9 years ago. How? I woke up one morning, smoked the last one from the pack and told myself I MUST quit. Period. Period. Period. NO choice. Just DO IT. NO excuses. No matter how stressed I get this week, I WILL quit. Period! There will never be the "perfect time". Something will always come up, because life is like that. You just have to be tough, suck it up and do it.
I won't lie and and say it was easy (which it seems to be for some people, argh). No, it was hard as hell. I had every withdrawl symptom I've ever read about. But you know what? They went away! It's like 2 weeks of hell (the first few days being the worst... but it DOES get easier! It does!!! What's a measly 2 weeks?) and after a while you only rarely get a craving and they get easier and easier to ignore. And then... even those go away and finally you're free. You'll feel like such a dumbass for letting cigarettes control you for all that time, lol. You'll be free of lighters and matches and the "OMG! Did I leave my cigarettes at home?!" moments. You stop wasting your money. You can breathe! You'll discover all kinds of little things about yourself (taste, smell, breathing, circulation) that you thought was totally ok, but clearly weren't, lol. You can handle a missed work break because you're not craving a stupid cancer stick. You're free of that constant need to plan your life around smoking! Not to mention the smell is gone, the funky yellow film on walls and car windows is gone, your new clothes won't get burn holes, no ashtrays, on and on.
What helped me was not only my health and the reasons above, but my ANGER at the control smoking had over me. Think about it... the tobacco companies manipulated nicotine levels for years to keep us all hooked (this was a big controvery not that long ago, at least in America). They know that "a younger customer always turns into a loyal customer", so we've been targeted in any way they legally could since we were kids. And don't think the top guys have any moral qualms about it. If they did, they'd be working in another industry, now wouldn't they? You fall into the trap and the bigshots are laughing their arses off about you all the way to the bank. By continuing to smoke, which, although it IS a drug, it's still BY CHOICE, we're totally going along with the whole wicked plan. Giving up life, health, finances, our futures ... so some rich guy can get the leather seat upgrade on his new executive jet or the bigger swimming pool for his 3rd vacation home. Ok, I'll shut up now, but those were my thoughts at the time that strangely helped me quit.
Well, in any case, good luck!!! It's totally possible, even for hardcore addicts
